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There's no such thing as a government-run school, at least not in the U.S. U.S. public schools are community-run. The local community sets the funding level, th

There's no such thing as a government-run school, at least not in the U.S. U.S. public schools are community-run. The local community sets the funding level, the local community provides the facilities, etc. The state may or may not provide additional funding. The state will also set minimum standards for graduation requirements, which apply to all students residing in the state. Then you have the issue of accountability. Community-run schools are paid for via taxes - either income tax, property tax or a combination for both. Taxes demand representation - in the case of community-run schools the community votes for the school board members who in turn oversee the operations of the community schools. Where's my voice when my money is simply handed to someone to do with as they see fit? Good luck getting your school tax levies renewed in such an environment. BTW, my state has been grappling with these issues for the past 15 years and it's a mess. A state law got passed saying the community funding must be made available to students for private schools and the results have been predictable. School levies are failing, and the private schools have been involved in scandal after scandal - the largest being a huge embezzlement scheme. A toss-out of the governor and key state legislators got the law reversed. So we tried this alternative and it failed and failed hard.

nemo44x 5y ago
The community is the local government/municipality and is controlled by the politicians elected to it. The state influences this as well. So the schools are "government run". And yes the local community sets the funding level and where I live, which is quite affluent, the funding is huge and the schools are nice. But in many other places where property values are smaller and people can't afford high property taxes to fund schools, they can't spend the same per student. Yes, some money gets recycled from affluent communities to less so through the state, but the money spent per student is still far less. I think it's more fair that every kid gets the same amount of money spent on them so kids from poor communities can access quality education that isn't a function of where they grow up. That their parents can send their kids to a school that suits their needs and ambitions. So you have more than representation - you have actual choice and schools will compete for your money that is given to you. Lastly, not every community votes for their school board. There are some places where they are appointed by the mayor. Teachers unions hate this idea because it cripples them, but actual teachers would thrive and do better in this environment.
- taylodl 5y ago
  > I think it's more fair that every kid gets the same amount of money spent on them Where does this money come from? The affluent communities don't mind the lion's share of their local taxes going to their community schools, but distribute it to everyone and they're not so interested in paying those taxes. They'd much rather reduce those taxes and invest the savings in their own children. So your problem isn't solved. There are reasons these ideas have been volleyed about the past 20-30 years and we've made no progress. Add to that all the private charter school scandals we've endured and you have a big mess with no easy solutions in sight.
throwaway0a5e 5y ago
>There's no such thing as a government-run school, at least not in the U.S. U.S. public schools are community-run. The local community sets the funding level, the local community provides the facilities, etc. That's a disingenuous slight of hand when (as you admit) the curriculums are set at the sate level. Being locally funded or managed means squat when the hours in the school year are limited and you have to teach to someone else's priorities.
- taylodl 5y ago
  Government regulations != government-run To claim otherwise is equivalent to claiming every single business is government-run due to there being regulations.
  - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
    >To claim otherwise is equivalent to claiming every single business is government-run due to there being regulations. That claim is a hell of a lot stronger than the one where the organizations run by municipal government employees executing on a state developed plan isn't a government run organization. Are you going to tell us that USPS isn't government run because it's a privately chartered corporation that just to happens to be owned by the government and happens to have its product offerings highly regulated by government? Public schools are government run for all practical purposes. Just not directly run on a day to day basis by the feds or state.

nemo44x 5y ago

The community is the local government/municipality and is controlled by the politicians elected to it. The state influences this as well. So the schools are "government run". And yes the local community sets the funding level and where I live, which is quite affluent, the funding is huge and the schools are nice. But in many other places where property values are smaller and people can't afford high property taxes to fund schools, they can't spend the same per student. Yes, some money gets recycled from affluent communities to less so through the state, but the money spent per student is still far less. I think it's more fair that every kid gets the same amount of money spent on them so kids from poor communities can access quality education that isn't a function of where they grow up. That their parents can send their kids to a school that suits their needs and ambitions. So you have more than representation - you have actual choice and schools will compete for your money that is given to you. Lastly, not every community votes for their school board. There are some places where they are appointed by the mayor. Teachers unions hate this idea because it cripples them, but actual teachers would thrive and do better in this environment.

taylodl 5y ago
> I think it's more fair that every kid gets the same amount of money spent on them Where does this money come from? The affluent communities don't mind the lion's share of their local taxes going to their community schools, but distribute it to everyone and they're not so interested in paying those taxes. They'd much rather reduce those taxes and invest the savings in their own children. So your problem isn't solved. There are reasons these ideas have been volleyed about the past 20-30 years and we've made no progress. Add to that all the private charter school scandals we've endured and you have a big mess with no easy solutions in sight.

throwaway0a5e 5y ago

>There's no such thing as a government-run school, at least not in the U.S. U.S. public schools are community-run. The local community sets the funding level, the local community provides the facilities, etc. That's a disingenuous slight of hand when (as you admit) the curriculums are set at the sate level. Being locally funded or managed means squat when the hours in the school year are limited and you have to teach to someone else's priorities.

taylodl 5y ago
Government regulations != government-run To claim otherwise is equivalent to claiming every single business is government-run due to there being regulations.
- throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  >To claim otherwise is equivalent to claiming every single business is government-run due to there being regulations. That claim is a hell of a lot stronger than the one where the organizations run by municipal government employees executing on a state developed plan isn't a government run organization. Are you going to tell us that USPS isn't government run because it's a privately chartered corporation that just to happens to be owned by the government and happens to have its product offerings highly regulated by government? Public schools are government run for all practical purposes. Just not directly run on a day to day basis by the feds or state.